The best English pubs in Moscow

It can be a challenge to find an authentic English pub in Moscow. Source: Kommersant

English pubs first appeared in Moscow about 15 years ago. Today they seem to be everywhere, but finding an authentic one is harder than it seems. On the eve of St. Patrick’s day Russia Beyond the Headlines asked Moscow’s British community to assess the authenticity of the most popular pubs that claim to retain the real atmosphere of “good old England.”

Located in
a basement, this popular chain of pubs features dark wooden walls and
furniture, a lot of customers and noise, football and, certainly, beer.
Bouhessi Khounchef, the chef at the John
Donne on Nikitsky Boulevard, uses recipes he learned in London to create
British fare such as fish’n’chips, rib-eye steak, shepherd’s pie and chicken
tikka masala with mango chutney. John Donne also has 14 different kinds of beer
on its menu, and the average bill is 1,200 rubles ($40).

Wikki, 35,
English teacher: “John Donne really looks very much like a true pub: it
observes the best traditions. But to me it seemed more like a ladies' place
than a place for virile recreation. You can hang out until morning there, or
come there on a date.”

Patrick, 24, journalist: “Many
Russian 'English Pubs' exaggerate things too much and make the place look as
fake as it really is, but John Donne is quite understated, so it ends up
looking more like a real pub. The selection of beer, particularly ale, also
makes it a good choice for British people missing a pint of their local brew.
The ale I had, surprisingly, actually tasted quite fresh too. I would recommend
the place.”

One of the
first pubs in Moscow,
John Bull was launched in 1996. Snug, with rugs, pictures, photos, solid
mahogany tables, heavy curtains and leather sofas, it has a very extensive
menu, unlike a real pub. The original John Bull Blonde beer is brewed in Bedford, UK,
especially for the Moscow John Bull chain. During the summer, they open up a
café on the veranda with a special menu.

The average
bill is 1,400 rubles ($45).

Andy, 36, English teacher:
“Unfortunately, it made almost no impression on me. I remember being
disappointed that there was no TV, as I'd been looking to watch my local
football team, shortly after I came to Moscow.“

Along with
fish'n'chips and steaks with Guinness, Rosie O’Grady’s menu offers Japanese and
Indo-Chinese dishes. Divided into zones, the restaurant tries to please the
variegated tastes of Muscovites and the recent fashion for oriental cuisine.
You can pass from an Irish pub to a Scottish pub, a banquet hall and an
Indo-Chinese room here. The menu also features a “Back in the USSR” section,
with Russian and Ukrainian dishes including sauerkraut soup, Baltic anchovy
sandwiches, pickles and dark bread and salted pork fat sandwiches. The average
bill is 2000-2500 roubles ($60-$75).

Brett, 38,
English teacher: “John Donne, John Bull and Rosie O’Grady’s are popular among
foreigners and not just in Russia, so they are most often targeted at an
international audience, hence their visitors are international. This is why
they lose some of the authenticity. It is exactly like an Irish or a Scottish
pub without a single Irishman or Scotsman, but with the right décor.”

The owners
joke that the British Prime Minister himself prophesied that a pub would be
erected on the spot. The designers used Victorian style elements in its décor,
putting traditional English china in cupboards along the walls and Churchill’s
pictures all around the place. The average bill in the restaurant, which prides
itself on its collection of single malt whiskeys and a wide selection of
cigars, is 1,500-2,000 rubles ($50-$60).

Louise, 29, Journalist: “Prices compared to the UK
are insane - especially that they charge the highest prices for beers which we
in Britain are consider to be the lower quality ones, and so usually cheaper,
like Carling or Fosters. I honestly can't remember which they were selling but
- Baltika is certainly better! I think it's the most expensive pub I have ever
been in. Atmosphere - zero atmosphere.“

The place
is essentially a hybrid of a club and an English pub. The space is divided into
zones: a restaurant, a dance floor, and a concert hall. The menu from chef
Alexei Kolobov, who has worked here since its launch, is designed to meet both
the tastes of daytime guests and the nighttime concert audience.

The average
bill is 1,000 roubles ($30).

Louise: “Prices are a bit more than
in the UK
for sure, but I think the atmosphere is definitely right. Lots of space, people
milling around, standing at the bar chatting, etc. You don't get turned away if
they have no tables and the bar staff are happy to serve you at the bar and
give you some friendly banter. I always come down here for drinks after
concerts at 16 Tons, even if it does mean I miss the metro home - I just think
the atmosphere is nice and feels very authentic. It could definitely be
cheaper, though.“

Andy: “16 Tons used to have the best
beer in town – their microbrewery on site was doing some great things. But the
last couple of visits I’ve been disappointed. The red ale is a bit too
vinegary, and the dark ale has lost some of its depth. But their gigs often
make up for it – they book some interesting bands there.“

This Moscow pub was named after the ceremonial entrance to the
City of London and the name is highly symbolic:
The pub’s atmosphere urges its visitors to quit the noisy streets and plunge
into 18th century London.
Customers are offered a standard menu topped by steak. As a plus, visitors can
also partake of the latest gastronomic trends, such as dorado or bouillabaisse,
Marseille style fish soup. The beer selection is also quite extensive.

The average
bill is 1,500 rubles ($50).

Louise: “I find this pub is pretty
low in atmosphere, it looks very 'fake.' In terms of authenticity they fail
because they won't let you stand and drink, like in the UK, - even when
it's really busy! If they don't have free tables to sit at, you can't come in,
and they don't let you order drinks at the bar.“

Brett: “I
like Temple Bar very much, but when a pub can accommodate over 100 guests, it’s
already more of a club. Incidentally, almost all pubs are big in Moscow.”

The menu
here is international and closer to that of a restaurant. On the other hand,
they are promoting bartending culture here. They promise that everyone who
comes to Molly Gwynn’s at least once can count on at least befriending the
bartender on Facebook. The owners of the bar also started a legend that Moscow’s Molly Gwynn is the
greatgreat…granddaughter of the Nell Gwyn from the 17th century who stole the
heart of Charles II.

The average
bill is 1,500 roubles ($50).

Brett:
“Molly Gwynn's is definitely a bar with a British flavor. But I notice it is
popular with Americans for some reason.”

Louise: “Not authentic at all! It's such a
Russian pub, but actually the atmosphere is ok, once you decide that you are
not going to have your typical British experience. What's not authentic, well,
the girls dancing on the bars at weekends, super loud dance music so you can
hardly talk and those chicks who wander round offering you tequila shots. All
that said though, it's definitely lively which is a good thing for atmosphere. Prices are quite normal and fairly similar to UK.“